4/28/09

preach it brother!


ok, so if you want to listen to something good check out http://www.sermonaudio.com/ and listen to some sin-naming, seat-squirming, Soul-stirring; fire-breathing, hell-fire and damnation-scorching sermons by the late Bro. Lester Roloff!

it will put some fire in your heart, kick in your Spirit and add some humility to your daily walk with God.

give it a chance. it will either revive your Christian life or set it further ablaze. may it do the latter.

4/27/09

journey in Him

hello again. yes it's been awhile and trust me, God has been blessing in so many ways it is all too exciting to contain within this blog. church, family and work has all seen God's miraculous hand throughout. I am only privileged to be a vessel.

Exodus 40:36 & 37, “And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.” these verses are both loaded with so much good stuff that I need to back up, get the steam going, then explain.

chapters 36-39 tell of how the Lord used the wisehearted within Israel to construct the tabernacle in the wilderness. then men were filled with the Holy Spirit as they performed the set tasks given to them. the bible says they did “as the Lord commanded Moses.” Moses was the leader so God told the leader and he in turn passed the memo down to the workers. every little detail was carried out as God commanded. nothing was let half done or waiting for someone else to complete. even the priest's were clothed according as God commanded. on top of all this every item was anointed for the service of the Lord. the items were sanctified, or set apart, to the Lord. this included every ladle, pan, candlestick and even the altar. even Aaron and his sons were anointed as they were the priests using those items on a daily basis. God wanted to make sure they were set apart as well.

now here is the good part... God commanded Moses to construct the tabernacle. He gave Moses the plans to the minutest detail. God gave Moses able-bodied individuals to carry out those tasks. those individuals carried out God's plan. then God set apart certain men to perform within the tabernacle to continue the plan. only then did God rest within the tabernacle. only then did God Himself reside within the tabernacle that He Himself had commanded to be built.

once we get God's command, enable those God gives us to carry out the command, and then perform the command will He then continue to reside. but it doesn't stop there. if the cloud moves, then we move. if the cloud stops, we stop. being in God's will doesn't matter where the cloud leads or where the cloud travels, you need to follow. can you see through a cloud? no. can you see around a cloud? no. so the only choice is to stay behind the cloud and follow. too many times I want to look around. too many times I want to look through. I've found it very difficult to look through, around or past my Lord. but that is exactly where He wants me. dependant upon Him to lead and trusting in Him while I follow on life's journey. I can only journey in Him. not through or around. but in Him.

right now God is working in my life. I don't feel qualified to carry out the task He has asked me to perform. but I do know that He will be my strength to perform said task. does my imagination try to look around Him? yes. does it try to look through? still yes. but I know one thing is certain. He is taking me to the mission field. see I must journey behind the cloud through this task in order to get to the mission field. that is why I must journey in Him.

4/21/09

family affects

one never realizes how much their family can affect a Spiritual walk until you have taken the step of Faith out and then see with new eyes. I dearly love my family and I would do anything for them within reason. but looking at them now I see two distinct lifestyles - God's and theirs.

God's is influencing my life daily. part of my family can understand and rejoices with me. those members I enjoy sharing what God has and is doing in and through my life. my brother-in-law, saved, rejoiced with me when I told him that God had used me to lead someone to Christ. it was he that also rejoiced when I told him that God had returned 50% of an offering back to me via a dryer - trust me it happened. he in turn edifies me as a brother in Christ.

my blood brother unfortunately is still focused on the flesh and satisfying the lusts thereof. I cannot tell him everything God is doing as he only says that's good and then back to him. he to is saved yet behaves totally different. I am reminded of I Corinthians 6:11, "And as such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

Yes, my family is saved but even the redeemed can choose to not be close to God. look at me! for many years I tried to hide. didn't work. if it wasn't for my extended family praying that God would jerk a knot in my tail, as my grandpa would say, then I would probably be dead. thank God He does jerk knots and praise God He does love us. even when we need the knots.

4/19/09

then came amalek


the first three words of Exodus 17:8 are by no means cheery. they are written just after God's people have been refreshed from the water at the smitten rock. yesterday for me was a day spent with the Smitten Rock (Jesus Christ). He and I accomplished many tasks. but just about 10:30 pm Amalek, or the flesh, attempted to take over. my denied, starving for attention flesh seems to attack, many times, right about 10:30 pm in hopes of being satisfied.

I have to praise God that it is only through Him that I make it without succumbing. you might ask, is it difficult to resist? I will not lie and say no. it is at those times I lean ever more pressed into the Lord. the Father brings to mind verses to help me resist and reminds me of the deliverance He has already given.

verse 16 states, “that the LORD will have war with Amalek, from generation to generation.” we will continue to battle our flesh until we are freed from it's earthly grasp either in death or at the rapture. and who will be there every time to make sure we obtain the victory? none other than our Heavenly Father! now that's worth shouting about. especially at 10:30 pm! HALLELUJAH!

and they encamped

it's been awhile since my last post, but God has been blessing while teaching me to trust in Him and Him alone. I just want to share with you something good from todays devotions. I hope it is a blessing to you as it was to me. It is in Exodus 15:22-27. I will not type the whole passage but this event happens just after the children of Israel have been delivered by the hand of God from the Egyptians at the crossing of the Red Sea.

no sooner had they been delivered they find themselves at the bitter waters of Marah, verse 23. and they did what? they complained. in verse 25 we read that, “and there he proved them.” their whole position was orchestrated by God simply to test them. would they long for Egypt or would they put their trust in the one who delivered them? now that the Almighty God had received honor from Pharaoh and had destroyed their enemies, He only wanted them to trust in Him before moving forward. we say simply trust but too many times its harder to trust than it is to follow. see trust, or faith, “is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

verse 26 states, “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord, that healeth thee.” God is stating that if you trusted me to get you out of Egypt why can't you trust me to get you into Canaan? Marah is just a trial. if you think Marah is bad how will you make it through the wilderness? we've just started and now you're complaining. but they had to trust. we have to trust. I have to trust. and how? do that which is right in His eyes, give ear to His commandments and keep His statutes.

now here is the good part... if I do that, and only by His strength, I will find myself in a place of rest. verse 27 finds the Israelites in Elim filled with pure water and an abundance of palm trees for shade. it says they encamped. meaning they took up residence for a brief time until God moved them. daily in life's trials and tribulations I must submit myself to Him and Him alone. and daily I am tried and tested as God purifies with fire. but through it all I can find rest within the same hands that molds me. I must encamp within the one who has saved me, delivered me and conforms me to His image. in whom will you encamp?

4/10/09

hiding His face

today its been hide and seek. me hiding. God seeking. God hiding. me seeking. its been this spiritual teeter-totter that is making me sick. I didn't have an appetite for lunch and there wasn't much of one for dinner. I am aware of when things are done in the flesh and then in the Spirit. this constant back and forth.

I can say along with David in Psalm 30:7, “LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.”

I know He is allowing me to see this as I must understand I can't get to the mission field of my own accord. not only TO the mission field but the daily path en-route to the mission field! my preaching is too self-illustrated right now to preach in any church. plus He is training me to trust in Him for simple monetary support. both at the same time. these lessons must be learned. I only want God's will so through this we must go.

lead on Oh Great Jehovah, lead on. even if as I follow, my face is hid in your bosom as only there I find support.

4/6/09

hate in the harshest sense

I hate the devil. I hate what he does, what he stands for, how he destroys lives and how he uses the simplest of tricks to accomplish his deeds. I thoroughly hate the devil. it's the only time God will allow you to reference yourself as all other times it must be to Him. yet even then it is He that gives you that hate for the devil.

this past weekend was a milestone in the path of God's direction for my life. I made it public to my parents and church family that I have surrendered to God's calling to the mission field. do I know to where God has called me? the answer is yes... where ever He wants me. right now it's my hometown, the surrounding towns and the state. no place like home. but what many times we fail to realize is we are all called to be missionaries. if to no other place than our own hometown.

that's exactly the same place where the devil wants to stop you. see if he can stop you there then he knows you won't go where God wants you. this is no more evident than in Genesis 25:34 when Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob. and for what, a bowl of beans? no. he sold it to curb an appetite. one that could never be satisfied. and where did it happen? AT HOME! it wasn't at a conference in the next city, it wasn't in the next state and it wasn't in the Bahamas. it was at home. the exact place where the devil knew he could curb his appetite.

God has opened my eyes to see that I have a huge bullseye directly above me with the devil aimed and ready. and he's begun in my own comfort zone. exactly where he knows I can curb my appetite. so how will I make it to where God wants me? by realizing that, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power (II Timothy 1:7)” and relying on that,“Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4). that's why I hate the devil.

4/5/09

escape to the mountain

once upon a time I was given the directive to “escape to the mountain” by God. now this mountain He directed me to was in full-time Christian service. first as a missionary then to preach. little did I know then that God would; 1. get me to the mountain, 2. get me up the mountain, 3. get me on top of the mountain, 4. keep me in the mountain and 5. get His glory for doing number's 1-4 as He rightfully should.

I take this line from Genesis 19:17, “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” see Lot had everything going for him; he was nephew to Abraham, was blessed with money and possessions, and had seen God work and move in his Uncle's life. yet he desired the plains of Jordan (Gen. 13:10).

after all that God had blessed him with, after all that God had graciously done for him and after all that God had allowed him to see what His mighty hand could do; Lot still wanted more... the plains. yep, me to a “T”. but this is the good part! God still loved Lot, ie: me, as He mercifully pulled him out of Sodom (Gen. 19:16). He was not obligated. Lot, ie: me, should have been consumed as he put himself in that position. but no. God in His love, grace and mercy bestowed upon Lot, ie: me, something he was of by no means worthy.

His calling is once more in the same order and to the same positions.


God, as you want me on that mountain and not in the plains, please, get me to that mountain. I trust you. I submit to you. In my own strength I cannot accomplish this endeavor as there must not be any “I”. It can only be You.
Your Will. Your Service. Your Glory.

4/2/09

the seeds of just imagine

my mother had not one but two green thumbs. growing up I honestly believed she even had green toes as her silk plants would bud and blossom. alas I only have one green thumb as even my silk plants will die. as with all life, plants start as a seed. they are germinated, bud and eventually bloom into the beautiful flowers or foliage we admire and adore.

such is the case with our thoughts. a “seed” called imagine is planted within our head. it’s where we store our dreams and fantasies; this land of imagination. our head is fertile soil in which to plant our thoughts and ideas. Genesis 8:21c says, “for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.” hmmm seems one obtains this fertile soil at birth. not like we get an option.

now how we germinate those seeds is left up to us. see the devil would like for us to germinate his way. evil, wicked, sinful thoughts and ideas are his specialty. God, on the other hand, wants them to be pure and pleasing. Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

sounds good but how does one think this way? glad you asked. James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” DON'T LET THE DEVIL GET ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR FERTILE SOIL WITH HIS SEEDS! you by no means can do it alone! so you must submit your thoughts, mind, ideas, imaginations, dreams, fantasies and even your thought process to God. the whole bundle just wrapped up and handed over.

a few posts ago I mentioned that my mind is one area that I battle in. God and I are going to war with the devil in this arena. it won't be easy but I know that “Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world.” bring it on.